Adjustable wrench



Mach 29, 1938. s HARE I 42,112,565

I ADJUSTABLE WRENCH Filed July 22, 1977 ff@ 3 fr .LTE JZ iri" 9.5 3f 006 35 n v1.1 1 r1 maw/b Patented Mar. 29, 1938 ADJ USTABLIEV WRENCH Sherman-Hare, Grantsville, Md., assignor of onehalf to Emery Georg, Accident, Md.

Application July 22, 1937, Serial No. 155,106

2 Claims.

This invention relates to wrenches, and more particularly to wrenches of the adjustable jaw Ype- An object of this invention is to provide a 5 wrench of this character wherein the jaws thereof will be firmly held in adjusted position and willnot readily get out of adjustment until the adjusting means has been moved.

Another object of this invention is to provide a wrench which combines adjustable jaws and a ratchet mechanism so that the head of the wrench may be progressivley rotated relative to the handle.

A further object of this invention is to provide in a wrench of this character a novel adjusting mechanism for the jaws which is carried by the head of the wrench.

Still another object of this wrench structure is to provide means whereby sockets or like nut engaging devices may be clamped between the jaws, or dies or other thread cutting devices may be secured between the jaws, the ratchet mechanism permitting the progressive turning in a selected direction of the head With respect to the handle.

Further objects and advantages of my invention are more apparent from the accompanying drawing and description, wherein like characters of reference are used to designate similar parts throughout the specification.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a top plan, partly broken away and in section of a wrench constructed according to an embodiment of this invention, the operating member for adjusting the jaws being removed from the head of the wrench.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary bottom plan, partly in section of the wrench.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary bottom plan showing a modified form of jaw structure used with this invention.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral I designates generally a handle having an annulus II at its outer end and in which a head I2 engages. The head I2 comprises a pair of substantially half-round parts I3 and I4 which may be suitably secured to a pair of plates I and I6, the plates I5 and I6 holding the members I3 and I4 together.

A pair of jaw members I1 and I8 are disposed within the head I2, having a portion thereof projecting exteriorly of thehead I2 and a portion thereof projecting interiorly of the head I2. The portions I9 and 20,'respectiv`ely ofthe jaws I1' and I8 projecting interiorly ofthe head I2 engage in oppositely extending channels 2 I and 22, respectively, andenlargedblocks or lugs 23 and 24, respectively are integral with the slide portions I9 and20, respectively.

Preferably the plates I5 and I6 are each provided With a groove 25 in which a'bead 26 at each end of a jaw engages so that the jaw members will be held against turning movement inthe head I2. The jaws I1 and VI8 are moved relative to each other by rotation of apair'of threaded shafts 21 which are each provided ywithV rightand left hand threads so that rotationof the shafts 21 in one direction will move the jaws, I1 and I8 away from each other, and rotation of the shafts 21 in the opposite direction will draw the jaws I1 and I8 together or toward each other. The inner end portions 23 and 24.of the jaws I1 vand. I8 are provided withv a pairT of threaded openings to receive the shafts 21, and the jaws I1 andI8 are adapted to move in parallelism. l I n Each shaft 21 isprovided yin substantially the center thereof with a worm` gear 28which isy adapted to mesh with a worm 29 rotatably carried by the head I2. A pinion or spur gear 30 is secured to each worm 29, and the gears 30 mesh with an internal gear 3| carried by a cap 32. The cap 32 is rotatably held on the head I2 by means of pins 33 which engage in an annular groove 34 provided in the head I2. The cap 32 is provided with a central opening 35 so that a finger or the like may be projected thereinto for engagement with a locking pawl 36. The pawl 36 is spring-pressed and the bill thereof is adapted to engage the internal gear 3I to hold this gear 3I against rotation in a direction to permit movement of the jaws I1 and'I8 away from each other. When the worms 29 are stationary the worm gears 28 will be locked against rotation, but the pawl 36 is provided to insure positive locking of the jaws I1 and I8 against opening after they have been set.

The periphery of the head I2 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart notches 31 in which ratchet pawls 38 and 39 are adapted to engage, the pawls 38 and 39 being rockably mounted on pins 40 and 4I, respectively, engaging in the outer end of the handle III. The pawls 38 and 39 are urged to an operative position by means of a spring 42, there being a spring 42 for each pawl 38 and 39.

A pair of slide members 43 and 44 are slidably -ly ttntattwithfthe f carried by the handle I0 inwardly of the inner ends of the pawls 38 and 39, the slide members 43 and 44 being provided with T-shaped slide portions 45 and 46, respectively, which slidably engage in T-shaped channels provided in the handle I0. The pawls 38 and 39 are provided with beveled inner ends 41 and 48, respectively, which are initially engaged by the outer ends of the slidemembers 43' and 44respeltively, and the beveled portions 4]. 48 terminate in ShOlll: ders 49 and 50, respectively, against which the outer ends ofthe slide members 43 and 44 are adapted to engage so as to hold the pawls38 vand 39 in inoperative position. Movement' of vthe slide member 43 outwardly to engage the shoulder 49 of the pawl 38 will permit free .rotation o f the handle III in a, countergglogliwise.direction with respect to the head l2, and movement of the slide 44 forwardly to engage the shoulder ..40; will.. permit free rotation ...of Vfthe.. lita@ ...12. .in a.

clockwise directn. l'

shown Las having.. -'fla'.t hinting Y Laces, whereas in Fis. .6 the-iawmtmhersjl and 1.8' .areprovidesifwitlw il-Shaped Yjaw Partien. in Stetten# Y t1 1y. th centerthereQfiaS ShQwn. et 5.' and 52,'

respectively. 1

.In the use and operation@`tliis..wrenci1,.the

fiettft.urninst.fftriesbur gears Qr pin- 10.1.15` 3f! end r9tatie-0ftht wmv/.39:4 Rotation 0f the 2.1M!! likewise' .rotate the.. worm gears??? ansmhentherme .gears .2.9 rotate. in onediretion' the; threads@ Shafts .2.1 Willleitt movementof. the .jars |.p1 ansi.. 1.8 .away frein. each other. 1; The jaws lll-5115i -leadapti tO'SiItages off-'the nut or bolt,L but if desired'a socket the'nutoboit. 1 y I rIt will `be apparent 4from'the' foregoing that an f extettinli' trattati.iitihttrutture. has. been,

provided which may be used for tightening or loosening nuts and bolts of sizes coming within the capacity of the jaws I1 and I8, and if desired dies or the like may also be clamped between these jaws for the purpose of forming threads.

It is, of course, understood that various changes and modications may be made in the details of this invention, such changes and'modications being limited onlyby the-scopeA of the appended 018.11115... 3- n v. j .t

What is claimed is:

1T. A wrench comprising a, handle, an annulus, carried .by said handle, a head rotatably engaging in said annulus, a pair of jaw members, means slidably seeming `said -jaw members on said head,

a pair of oppositely threaded shafts carried by said head andfengaging-said jaw members to move said jaw members relative to each other, a worm gear xed on each shaft, a worm, for each WQm. g??? rPtaPaPlY calffedpy sid-heaid a-P-llr toothed cap carried by 'said head and engaging means'lockilng said Vagainstrotation relative to said head. f

`\2. "Af.wrench comprising a handle, an annulus carried by SaidhandIe, ahead rotatably engagingV in said annulusfa pair of jawmembe'rs, means slidablysecuring said'jaw members on saidhead, a pair of oppositely Vthreaded shafts carriedA by said head engagi'ng vsaid `jaw `n1embers to mvefsaid jaw members' relative to eeen other, wwe gear. fixedtn eathhaft, a worm foreach worm'gear rotatably earri'e'dby'sjaid head, a spur' gear flgedlyf'securedto 'e'a'chv worm, Van internally toothed cap carried by saidhead 'and engaging said spur gears, opposed, ratchet membescar-i ried by said handle, said head-having---notches-in the periphery thereof to 'receive Vsaid ratchet members; a locking Vmember for each ratchet 'men'iber'slidably` carried Iby said handle,` and means carried by said head engageable with the' relativento said head. 'Y

tethof said cap to lock .said cap against rotation' '1 *Y .strani/LAN HABE. 

